Deuteronomy 6:1-25
Q.1. What reason did Moses give for repeating God’s Laws and Commandments to the nation? (Dt.6:1-5)
Israel had received the Law some forty years before but had failed to trust the Lord. Obedience was crucial to their blessing. This meant that the people needed to develop a healthy fear of God. Obedience is viewed by many people in a negative light, where they see it as just the keeping of a set of rules. However, God the Creator knows what is best for His children. The Law was given to bless them – O Israel, you should listen and be careful to do it, that it may be well with you and that you may multiply greatly, just as the Lord, the God of your fathers, has promised you, in a land flowing with milk and honey (Dt.6:3). Furthermore, the Covenant was not about rules and worldly things, but about a loving relationship – You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength (Dt.6:5). That requirement from God remains true to this very day.
Q.2. Why was the revelation that God is One so crucial? How was Israel to relate to God? How was their allegiance to God to be maintained? (Dt.6:4-9)
Israel had been delivered from a multi-god culture in Egypt and would be exposed to more gods in the Promised Land. Deuteronomy 6:4-9 is identified by Israel as the SHEMA. It has become their confession of faith. It asserts the truth of monotheism – The Lord is our God … the Lord is One. (Dt.6:4). God will not tolerate worship of other man-made gods. Perhaps this explains why the Jews in Jesus’ day found it so hard to grasp His claims that He was Son of God. Israel was required to weave God’s principles for living into the fabric of their daily lives. They were to model them and pass them on diligently to future generations.
Q.3. For what reason were the people to fear God? – (Dt.6:10-19)
The following of other gods was totally abhorrent to the Lord. He warned that he would take action against them if they took the vile gods of the surrounding nations seriously. Just as infidelity in human relationships causes enormous pain, so Israel needed to understand that – the Lord your God in the midst of you is a jealous God; otherwise the anger of the Lord your God will be kindled against you, and He will wipe you off the face of the earth (Dt.6:15). God demands exclusive worship and total obedience. Just as the Fall of Adam brought a curse to man, so turning from the conditions of the Covenant would result in permanent loss.
Q.4. What question would future generations ask about their lifestyle and why? – (Dt.6:20-25)
Israel was to live in a unique way that was observably different from the other nations. This would cause the people of these other nations to observe – 7 what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as is the Lord our God whenever we call on Him? 8 Or what great nation is there that has statutes and judgments as righteous as this whole law which I am setting before you today? (Dt. 4:7-8). In the same way it would motivate future generations when they would hear of their deliverance from Egypt by God’s powerful intervention. Then they could underscore the importance of observing God’s law – 24 So the Lord commanded us to observe all these statutes, to fear the Lord our God for our good always and for our survival, as it is today. 25 It will be righteousness for us if we are careful to observe all this commandment before the Lord our God, just as He commanded us (Dt.6:24-25).